The sterilization and/or the sterilization system by a gas that exhibits the properties as radicals and that is generated from methanol by a catalyzed reaction (MR gas) represents a new sterilization technology that is able to deactivate even DNA. It is dehydrogenation sterilization different from oxidization sterilization that uses an ethylene oxide gas (EO) or ozone which has so far been predominantly used as a sterilizing gas for therapeutic utensils. The new sterilization technology also has been widely recognized to be free from persistency or corrosion and is attracting attention in many technical fields.
The MR gas means a radical gas that is generated by a catalyzed reaction from methanol and that exhibits strong sterilization performance and/or sterilization effects. It has strong permeation performance and operates even under an atmospheric pressure to disinfect deep into the inside of the object being sterilized. It has many desirable properties, viz., it is non-corrosive to metal, non-aggressive to plastics and non-selective of material types of the object, while it is not persistent on the object being sterilized. In addition, it may be used with advantage as a measure against viruses or DNA contamination, and also has an effect in detoxification (deactivation) of toxic gases. Furthermore, it may be used for sterilization of electrical or electronic equipment or a PC system formed from semiconductors even when the equipment or system is in live state.
In a conventional MR gas sterilization system, methanol stored in a methanol tank is vaporized by a vaporization heater and thereby turned into a methanol gas. The so generated methanol gas is reacted in a catalyst section provided on top of a vaporization heater to generate an MR gas as heat is applied to the catalyst section from a heater. See for example Patent Document 1.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2005-130993